Clutch and propeller



E. F. MATTHEWS ETAL CLUTCH AND PROPELLER Dec. 14, 1943.

Filed Aug. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dem 14, 1943. E, MATTHEWS ETAL K 2,336,877

CLUTCH AND PROPELLER Filed Aug. 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY lNVE-NTOIQM 81mm ATTORNEY Patented Dee. 14, 194?.

aaaasvi CLUTCH AND PnorELLEa Eugene F. Matthews, St. Paul, and Norman W.

La Clair, Forest Lake, Minn.

Application August 13, 1941, Serial No. 406,624

(Cl. 17o- 156) 9 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improvement in clutch, wherein it is desired to provide a means of rotating a driven member by a drive member, and wherein the drive member will operate equally Wellin either direction.

In our previous application for a Window cleaning device, Serial Number 390,046, led April 24, 1941, we described a clutch which was operable for use in connection with the window cleaning device. This clutch Was operated by means of a manually operable handle and was used to hold the window cleaning device in any set position. We have found that our clutch is advantageous for use for many other purposes. For example, We have found our clutch is particularly advantageous when used in conjunction with propellers and the like, in order to prevent breakage of the propeller, the propeller shaft on the peg pin is used to rotate the propeller with its shaft.

We have found that by embodying in a propeller a simple type of clutch, the propeller will not slip when in use under ordinary circumstances, but should one-of the blades of the propeller strike a submerged object, which tends to prevent its rotation, the propeller will slip with respect to the drive shaft so as to not permit injury to any of the associated mechanism.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a propeller which will slip when a solid object is struck by one of the blades thereof and which embodies blade means, so that resistance to rotation of the propeller is greatly increased. We have found that in the use of our propeller for trawling purposes, and the like, it is sometimes desired to cut down the speed of movement of the boat uponwhich the motor is mounted. It is possible to accomplish the desired result by changing the propeller, but this necessitates the work of replacing the regular propeller with another propeller. With the present construction it is only necessary to pivot vanes or blades on the propeller blade into operative position where the effectiveness of the propeller will be materially decreased and the speed of the boat bearing the motor accordingly substantially reduced.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the blades on the propeller for reducing the speed thereof may beV easily and quickly set into operative position. It is only necessary to release the catch holding the retarding blades in inoperative position, and the blades will be swung into operative position by the movement of the propeller through the Water. By reversing the direction of rotation of the propeller, the blades may be returned to inoperative position, and retained in this position.

It is a feature of our clutch that the driven member may rotate in either direction with respect to the drive member and that the clutch operates equally Well when rotating in either direction. As a result our clutch is particularly adaptable for use for a great number of purposes, and may be embodied in any one of a large number of machines to effectively serve its purpose.

A further purpose of our invention4 lies in the fact that our clutch and blade construction is particularly designed for use on propellers having any number of blades, and the clutch may be set to permit slippage at any desired tension, Thus, the propeller may be set or adjusted to rotate as soon as a solid object is struck by one of the blades, while the maximum force of the operative position.

rotation of the propeller in water will not cause the clutch to slip.

These and other objects and novel features of our invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specication and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of our specification:

Figure 1 is an elevation view 'of a propeller embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the propeller illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the propeller, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 i. Figure 1. r

Figure 4 is an elevation View similar to Figure 1, showing the speed reducing Vanes or blades in Figure 5 is a sectional View through the propeller blade showing the speed reducing vane or blade in inoperative position.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5, showing the speed reducing vane in operative position.

Figure '7 is a sectional View through a' portion of the propeller illustrating the catch or latch for holding the speed reducing vanes in inoperative position.

Figure 8 is a view of the center portion or core of the clutch.

Figure 9 is a sectional View through the hub or center portion of the clutch, the position of the section being indicated by the line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a sectional view through the central portion of the clutch, the position of the section being indicated by the line l0-l0 of Figure 8,

Figure 11 is'a sideelevation view of a modiiied form of our clutch.

Figure 12 is an end view of the clutch illus-v by the line I3--I3 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional view through the clutch, the position of the section being indicated by the line I 4|4 of Figure 1l.

Figure 15 is a view of amodiiied form of clutch part which may be used in conjunction with the clutch illustrated in the drawings.

The propeller A is shown as embodying two blades I0. It is believed obvious that anynumber of blades may be used and that the propeller may be a three or four bladed propeller, for example, as well as the two bladed propeller illustrated.

'I'he propeller A embodies a hub or core I I which is provided with an axial aperture I2 through which the propeller dri've shaft may extend. In order to holdthe hub or core II to the drive shaft, a vkey pin may be inserted through the shaft in such a manner that the ends of the pin engage into apertures I3 in the hub I I.

A circular groove I4 encircles the hub and a pair of inwardly extending indentations I5 are designed to engage balls I6. Thevballs I6 normally engage in the pockets I5 and maintain the propeller blades I in rotation with the hub II, as will be later described.

The blades I0 extend outwardly from a hub or sleeve I'I. hub II and to-be rotatable with respect thereto. Each blade I0 is provided with an elongated boss |9 in conjunction therewith, which is provided with a bore 2|) extending therethrough. One end of the bore 20 is threaded to accommodate the adjusting plug 2| and aspring 22 is positioned between the plug 2| and the ball I6 in the bore 20. Thus each ball I6 may move radially, but is spring urged towards the hub I I by the spring 22, the tension of which is adjusted by the plug 2|. f A portion of each blade is hollowed out, as illustrated by the numeral 23 to accommodate a blade or vane 24. The blade 24 is pivotally mounted upon a pivot 25 and is designed to swing from inoperative position as illustrated in Figures 1 Y and to operative position as illustrated in Figures 4 and 6. When in the inoperative position illustrated in Figures 1 and 5, the propeller acts in its usual normal manner, and the blades or vanes 24 do not aiect the normal operation of the propeller. When in the operative position illustrated ln Figures 4 and 6 of the drawings the blades 24 projects outwardly so as to resist rotation of the propeller, thus cutting down the speed of the propeller, and the effectiveness thereof, thereby reducing the speed of the boat upon which the motor is mounted for trawling purposes and the like.-

As best illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, a latch plunger 26 is slidably mounted in an aperture 21 in each of the elongated bosses I9 so as -to project in the path of swinging of the blades 24 to hold the blades in inoperative position.

29 so that the tapered tip end of the'plunger prevents outward swinging. of the blades 24. A iinger engaging knob 30 on the plunger 26 pro- The latch plunger 26 is urged outwardly by a springblades 24 to reduce the speed, the plungers 23 are retracted from the path of the blades 25, and

these blades are swung outwardly into the positions illustrated in Figures 4 and 6. Rotation of the propeller holds these blades in the position illustrated. However, when it is desired to fold the blades 24 back into inoperative position, the

propeller may be merely rotated in a reverse direction, the blades 24 swinging into the position lillustrated in Figures 1 and 5, the movement of 34 by means of a key 35 or other suitable means.

The rotary body 36 of the clutch comprises, in the form illustrated, a substantially flat disc 3l including a central boss 39 and a series of radially extending bosses 40. Each of the bosses 4|! is provided with a radially extending passage 'I'he hub I'I is designed to encircle the 4| therethrough. A ball 42 is contained in each of the passages 4| and is urged against the hub 34 by a spring 43. The tension of the spring 43 is adjusted by means of a threaded plug 44 which engages into the outer end of the passage 4|.

'I'he hub 34 is provided with a circular groove 45 extending about the same, forming the track for the balls 42. Angularly spaced pockets 46 are provided in the hub 34 in which the balls 42 have tendency to seat. 'I'he balls 42 being urged by the springs 43 normally engage in the pockets 46 to cause rotation of the hub 34 with the clutch body 36. However, when abnormal pressure is exerted tending to stop one of the rotating elements, the balls 42 will rotate in the groove 45. It should be noted that the groove 45 in the clutch B, as well as the groove I4 in the propeller A holds the hub from longitudinal movement with respect to the propeller or clutch body. In other words, these grooves form a retaining track to hold the clutch assembled, as Well as a means of locking the two parts from normal relative rotation.

Figure 15 of the drawings discloses a'modied form of plunger construction in which a pointed plunger or piston 4'I is used in place of each of the balls 46. The plunger 41 has a piston por" tion 49 which is substantially the diameter of jects through a slot 3| in the boss I3 so as to permit retraction of the plunger 26.

In operation, when it is desired to use the.

the passages 4I, having a pointed end 50 thereupon which may engage in the pockets, such as 46. A stem 5I on the rear side of the plunger or piston provides an additional guiding means designed to extend within the spring 43. Obviously the plunger 46 may be used in the propeller A, as well as in the clutch B.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of construction and operation of our clutch and propeller, and while ywe have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without vdeparting from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1.1A propeller including a core, a circumferential groove in said core, enlargement means in said groove, a propeller encircling said core having a substantially radially extending passage therein, slidable means in said passage engageable in said groove and o'perable when engaged in said enlargement means to resist rotation between saidpropeller and said core, and resilient means urging said slidable means into engagement with said groove and said enlargement means, the engagement of said slidable means in said groove holding said core and said propeller in assembled relation.

2. A propeller comprising a core, a circumferential groove in said core, angularly spaced pockets in said groove, a propeller encircling said core and having a substantially radially extending passage therein, a slidable means in said passage engageable in said groove and in said pockets, and resilient means urging said slidable means toward said core, the engagement of said slidable means in said groove holding said core and said propeller in assembled relation.

3. A propeller comprising a core, a propeller blade means encircling said core, clutch means interposed between said propeller blade means and said core, and vanes on said propeller blade means foldable from operative position to inoperative position overlying a surface of the propeller blade means, and operable when in operative position to resist rotation of said propeller blade means.

4..A propeller comprising a hub, a series of propeller blades extending outwardly from said hub, a vane pivotally secured to the external surface of each of said blade means, said vanes being pivotal between operative and inoperative position, said vanes being foldable against the surface of the blade means in inoperative position, and operable when in operative position to extend outwardly from the pivot point with said blade to resist rotation of said propeller.

5. A propellercomprising a hub, a series of blades projecting outwardly from said hub, a vane pivotally secured to the external surface of each said blade along a substantially radial axis, said vane being foldable from a position adjacent said blade and substantially flat against a surface of the blade to a position extending outwardly from the pivot point on the surface of said blade, said vane being operable in the latter position to resist rotation of the propeller.

6. A propeller comprising a hub, a series of blades extending outwardly from said hub, a vane pivotally secured to the external surface of one of said blades, said vane being foldable from a position adjacent to and overlying a surface of said blade to a position projecting outwardly from the pivot point on the external surface of the blade.

7. A' propeller comprising a hub, a series of blades extending outwardly therefrom, a vane pivotally secured to each of said blades, said vane being pivotal from the position along side of said blade and lying flat against a surface of the blade to a position extending outwardly therefrom, and latch means holding said vane in the first named position.

8. A propeller comprising a hub, a series of blades extending outwardly from said hub, a recess in one surface of each of said blades, a vane pivotally mounted along one edge thereof to the outer surface of each said blade and designed to substantially ll said recess in one position thereof, and to extend outwardly from the pivot point on the outer surface of said blade in another position.

9. A propeller comprising a core, a propeller hub, a clutch interposed between said hub and said core blades extending outwardly from said hub, a recess in one surface of each of said blades, a vane pivotally secured to each said blade designed to substantially ill said recess in one pivotal position thereof, and to extend outwardly from said blade in another pivotal position thereof, and latch means engageable with said vane to hold said vane in said first named position.

EUGENE F. MATTHEWS. NORMAN W. LA CLAIR. 

